Loose leaf binder



Oct. 13, 1931. F, H, CRUMP 1,827,462

LOOSE LEAF BINDER i Filed March 5. 1930 2 Sheets-Shan 1 INVENTOR 71,25: Cru mp) ATTORNEY WITNESS 77a); 2

Oct. 13, 1931. F. H. cRuMP LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed March 5. 1930 INVENTOR 717.]6'2147/1@ BY M Q 4 ATTORNEY WITNESS UNITED STATES vii .iJUl

PATENT OFFICE FRANK H. CRUMP, F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA LOOSE LEAF BINDER Applicationy led March 5.

Hy invention relates to loose leaf binders of the type shown in my prior Patent No. 1,673,315, granted June l2, 1928, in which top and bottom cover sections are connected by straps permanently iixed to the bottom section and adjustablj7 secured to the top cover section by releasable means permitting adjustment of the straps and consequently of the spacing of the top and bottom cover sections to accommodate variance in the number of sheets inserted therebetween. The sheets, in this type of binder, have been held between binding plates releasably secured to the straps and carrying binding posts eX- t-ending in closed openings or perforations in the sheets.

It is one ofthe objects of the present invention to provide a loose leaf binder of this general type which eliminates the extensible straps and their releasable adjusting means in the top cover, by utilizing in substitution, rigid extensible connectors of particularly advantageous form hingedly secured to the top and bottom cover sections, and to provide improved and simplified means for holding the sheets between the top and bottom cover sections and for releasably holding the extensible connectors in operative position when adjusted.

These and other objects and advantages will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, and in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation of one form of loose leaf binder constructed in accordance with the present invention, the top and bottom cover sections being outspread and the leaves omitted.

Figure Q is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section through one end of the binder with the top :ind bottom cover sections closed.

Figure #l is a longitudinal transverse section on the line -i-4 vof Figure 3 showing one of the sliding post-latching plates on the separat-e top clamping bar.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional detail of 1930. Serial No. 433,354.

the screw-extensible post, taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective detail of one of the binding posts hinged to the bottom cover section.

Figure 7 is a perspective detail of one end of the separate clamping bar with its postretaining slide and spring latch.

Figure 8 is a view in elevation of a second form of loose leaf binder embodying the present invention, the top and bottom cover sections being outspread and the leaves omitted.

Figure 9 is a vertical section through one end of the binder with the top and bottom cover sections closed and with sheets mounted on the binder posts.

Figure 10 is a transverse sectional view through the closed binder showing the pockets or recesses in the top and bottom cover sections and the ends of a iiexible back section inserted in said recesses and adjustably held therein.

Figure 11 is a detail perspective view of the separate clamping bar with its sliding latch plate.

Figure 12 is a detail perspective view of the latching spring carried by the stationary part of the separate bar and cooperating with the movable part releasably to hold it in post-retaining position.

In the form of loose leaf binder shown in Figures 1-7, the top cover section l, and the bottom cover section 2, are joined by a ilexible back section 3, as in the usual binder.

To the inner faces of the top and bottom cover sections at their opposed inner edges, are secured by riveting or otherwise, hinge plates 4 and 5, respectively. The barrel 6 of the hinge plate 5, attached to the bottom cover section, is cut away adjacent to the top and bottom edges of the cover section to receive the hinge barrels 7 of plates 8, from which upstand binding posts 9, as detailed in Figure 6. Preferably, as shown, these binding posts may be formed of two or more interthreading sections for adjustment of their length. The two plates 8, with their binding osts, are positioned adjacent the upper and3 lower edges of the bottom cover section, with their binding posts upstanding therefrom. They are held and hingedly connected to the bottom cover section 2 by means of a hinge pin or pintle 10, extending through their hinge barrels 7 and through the hinge barrel 6 of plate 5. The opposite ends of this pintle pin, or wire, extend beyond the opposite ends of the plate 5, and are headed; their extended portions serving to hingedly mount one end of the pair of screw-extensible posts or connectors hingedly connected at their other ends to the plate 4 carried by the top cover section 1.

This plate 4 is, as shown, provided with a continuous hinge barrel 11, through which a pintle wire, or hinge pin 12, extends, projecting beyond the opposite ends of the barrel and being headed similarly to the hinge pintle 10.

Traversing the back 3 at its top and bottom and beyond the area of leaves enclosed between the top and bottom sections, are a pair of screw-extensible posts or connectors best seen in Figures 3 and 5, and composed of a male section formed as a threaded spindle or shank 13, having an enlarged head 14 at v one end bored at 15 to journal on the extended end of the hinge pintle 10, for example. A female sleeve section 16, internally threaded and engaging the threaded shank 13 is formed with an outer end 17 swivelly mounted on the shank 18 of a hinging head 19 bored to receive and journal on the opposed extended end of the hinge pintle 12 of the top cover section plate 4. Vith the female sleeve 16 freely revolvable upon the head 19 through its swivelled connection therewith, it may be rotated on the male stem 13 and cause either extension or contraction of the overall length of the connector, and consequently cause extension or contraction of the opposed to and bottom cover sections to accommo ate the spacing between these sections to different thicknesses of inserted leaves; As will be seen from Figure 3, the screw-adjustable posts or connectors 13-19, at the opposite ends of the hinge pint'les, clear the edges of the leaves inserted between the cover sections.

The binder posts 9 extend upwardly through alined openings 2O in a series of leaves 2l shown in Figure 3.

Cooperating with these posts 9 to retain the series of leaves between the top and bottom cover sections, is a separate bar 22 designed to overlay' the series f leaves 21 in alinement with the plates 8 of the upstanding posts 9, and projecting beyond the top and bottom edges of the leaves. This bar 22, at two spaced points between the top and bottom binder posts 9, is provided with similar but depending binding posts 23 which extend downwardly through other alining openings or perforations 24 in the sheets, as suggested in Figure 3. These posts, extending from the opposite bot-tom and top faces posite ends of the separate bar 22. To this i end, the outer edge of the bar 22 at its opposite ends is incut to form corner recesses 23 as shown in Figure 7, into which the sleeves 16 of the posts are adapted to extend. Inwardly of these ends, the opposite or inner edge of the bar is formed with an elongated notch 24 therein. Slidably mounted over the upper face of the bar 22 at each of its opposite ends for movement longitudinally thereon is a latching plate 25 having parallel elongated slots 26 therein through which upstand the Shanks of headed studs 27 carried by the bar 22 and guiding the latching plate 25 for movement longitudinally thereover. The outer ends of these latching plates at their outer edges are formed with bayonet slots 28 therein, as shown in Figure 7, providing ngers 29 designed to close the outer edges of the post pockets formed by the incut edge recesses 23 at the ends of the bar 22. The locking plates 25 are provided with suitable spring latching means releasably to hold them in a fixed relation to the bars 22; in this instance, in the position in which their fingers 29 close the post sockets and retain the posts in the end pockets in the bars 22. As shown in Figure 7, the inner edges of the sliding latching plates 25 are formed with an elongated notch 30 (Figures 4 and 7) terminating at its outer end in an upstanding abutment flange 31. A leaf spring 32 has one end 33 mounted upon the top face of the bar 22 at the inner end of its edge slot 24, this leaf spring extending beneath the inner edge of the latching plate 25 and being provided with an upwardly odset shoulder 34 normally tending to spring upwardly in the notched edge 30 of the latch plate with the forward or outer end of the leaf spring-abutting the flange 31 and preventing movement of the latch plate 25 from the post-retaining position shown in Figures 4 and 7 until this end of the spring 32 is depressed to clear the latching plate and permit its manually effected movement to release the post by sliding the retaining finger 29 outwardly from the exit end of the pocket 23.

To remove the separate clamping bar 22 to permit the insertion of additional sheets 21, the latching plates 25 are reversely moved outwardly through the described operation of their latching springs permitting the engaged ends of the screw-extensible posts to swing outwardly from the pockets 23 with the top cover l, whereupon the separate bar 22 may be bodily lifted from the series of sheets 21 for the removal or addition of sheets. When more sheets are added, the sleeves 16 of the extensible post may be rotated to increase the spacing of the top and bottom sections, or should sheets be removed, the sleeve may be reversely moved to decrease the spacing correspondingly.

In the form of the binder shown in F igures 8-12, the screw-extensible posts are located between the top and bottom edges of the inserted sheets and seat in edge pockets or notches formed in the sheets instead of clearing the edges of the sheets as in the first form described, and a flexible back section 41 is used with its ends inserted in pockets 42 in the top and bottom cover sections 43 and 44 respectively and adjustably secured therein for accommodation of the back section to adjustments in this facing between the top and bottom cover sections.

As in the first form described, hinge plates 45 and 46 are fixed to the inner edges of the top and bottom cover sections 43 and 44 respectively, and extend longitudinally of their edges. The hinge plate 46, secured to the bottom cover section 44, is formed with a hinge barrel 47 extending for its full length and cut away adjacent its opposite ends to hingedly connect thereto the hinge barrels 48 of plates 49 mounting upstanding binder posts 50. A suitable hinging wire or pintle 51 extends through the barrels 47 and 48. Substantially midway of its length, the barrel 47 on plate 46 is further cut away to receive the hinging ear 52 of an elongated flat bar 53 which extends in the pocket 42 of the bottom cover section 44, and is provided with a series of slots 54 therein, in one of which the end of a hooked plate 55, fixed to the end of the back 41, is seated adjustably to tix this end of the back in its pocket 42.

At points between the central hinging ear 52 and the outer binding posts 50, the plate of hinge barrel 47 is further cut away to seat the hinging heads 56 of the male shank of screw-extensible posts, generically designated 57 and corresponding in construction to the posts 13-19 of the first form of my invention. The hinging heads 58, at the opposite ends of these posts, are journalled on the hinge pintle 59 extending through the barrel 60 of the hinge plate 45 fixed to the top cover section 43. The heads 58 seat in cutout portions in the barrel 60 positioned in opposition to the opposite heads 56. The barrel 60 at a. point opposite to the hinging ear 52 of the back holding bar 53 is similarly A cut away to receive the hinging ear 61 of an opposed dat bar 62 extending into the pocket in the bar 62, as shown in Figure 10, so that'v the plate 62 and the outer anchored end of the f bowed spring 63 will move in unison when the plate 45 and its top cover section 43 is moved through the expansion or contraction of the screw-extensible posts 57 with the back 41 maintained and automatically adjusted by the tension of the spring to conform to variance in spacing of the top and bottom cover sections.

As in the first form of the binder, a separate clamping bar 69 overlies the top face of the series of sheets 70 inserted between the top and bottom covers, and is provided with depending binder posts 71 in spaced relation and between the extensible posts 57. The binder posts 50 extend upwardly from the bottom of the series of sheets 70 through two series of alined openings therein, and the binder posts 71 extend downwardly from the top of the series of sheets through other series of openings so thatthe two sets of posts serve to retain between the top and bottom cover sections in assembled relation the series of sheets 70.

The extensible posts 57 in the operative assembly of the binder seat, as before stated, in notches in the inner vertical side edges of the series of sheets 70, one such notch being indicated at 72 in Figure 9. The separate bar 69 has its outer edge notched as at 73, Figure 11, to aline with these notches and with the posts 57. Slidably mounted over the bar 69 by means of bar-carried studs 74 and elongated slots 75 therein, is a latching plate 76 coextensive with and slightly greater in length than the underlying clamping bar 69, and having its outer edge at points alinable with the notches or post pockets 73 provided with bayonet slots 77 therein, providing pocket-closing fingers 78 which in one slid position of the plate 76, will close the outer edge of the pockets 73 and retain the posts 57 therein. Preferably, the bar 69 adjacent one end, is slotted as shown at 79 in Figure 9, to receive a leaf 80 of a latching spring whose rear end 81 is anchored to the under face of the bar, and whose forward end is provided with an upturned latching flange 82, detailed in Figure 12, and adapted to extend up into a transverse slot 83 formed in the latching plate 76 releasably to lock it against movement relative to the underlying bar 69. The stud 84, carried by the outer end of the spring, extends upwardly and outwardly through a longitudinal slot 85 formed in the latching plate 66. and provides means for depressing the locking end 82 of the spring to clear the transverse notch 83 and to permit movement of the latching plate 76 to release the retained posts 57.

Both forms of the loose leaf binder herein described embody the same operative principles, and in essence the same operative structure, and while these described forms represent preferable embodiments of the inon the male post sections to expand or conr vention, it will be understood that they are intended as illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, and are subject to variation and modification to suit different conditions of manufacture and use in consonance with the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a loose leaf binder, top and bottom cover sections, a back section connecting the top and bottom cover sections, longitudinally extensible and contractible posts hingedly connected at each end to said top and bottom cover sections, binding posts hingedly secured to the bottom cover section and extending upwardly therefrom to cooperate with openings in sheets inserted between the top and bottom cover sections, a separate bar adapted to overlie the inserted sheets having binding posts depending downwardly therefrom to extend through other openings in the inserted sheets and cooperating with said upstanding posts to secure the sheets within the cover, and means on said separate bar for releasably interlocking said hinged extensible and contractible posts therewith.

2. In a. loose leaf binder, top and bottom cover sections, a back section connecting the top and bottom sections, a series of sheets between said sections having edge pockets therein and a. plurality of alining openings therethrough, screw-expansible posts hingedly connected at each end to the top and tbottom cover sections and engageable in said edge pockets, binding posts hingedly secured to the bottom cover section and extending upwardly therefrom into openings in the sheets, a separate locking bar arranged to be applied over the inserted sheets having binding posts extending downwardly therefrom into other openings in the inserted sheets and cooperating with said upstanding posts to secure the inserted sheets within the cover sections, with means on said separate bar for releasably securing said bar to said screw-expansible posts.

3. A loose leaf binder as defined by claim 2, in which the screw-expansible posts comprise male and female interthreading sections having perforated ends, and hinge wires or pintles carried by the top and bottom cover sections adapted to hingedly engage said perforated ends.

4. In a loose leaf binder, top and bottom cover sections, a hinge pintle carried by each of the cover sections, expanding screw posts comprising male screw posts having perforated ends receiving the hinge wire carried by one of the cover sections, and female posts threading thereon and having swivelled heads with perforations through which the hinge wire carried by the other cover section passes. the female post sections being freely revoluble around their swivelled heads and tract the top and bottom cover sections.

5. In a loose leaf binder, top and bottom cover sections, a back section connecting said top and bottom sections, sheets inserted between the top and bottom sections having a pluralit of alining openings therein, screwexpansi le posts independent of said back section having their ends pivotally connected to the top and bottom sections and positioned to clear the sheets, binding posts hingedly attached to the bottom cover section and extending upwardly into openings in the sheets, a separate locking bar arranged to be applied over the inserted sheets having binding posts depending therefrom into other openings in the sheets and cooperating with the binding posts upstanding from the bottom cover to secure the sheets within the covers, and means on said separate bar for releasably securing said bar to the screwexpansible posts.

6. A loose leaf binder as defined by claim 5 having its separate locking bar provided with pockets receiving the screw-expansible posts and with plates slidably mounted thereon and formed to close said pockets and retain the posts therein, with locking springs cooperating with said plates releasably to hold them in post-retaining position.

7. In a loose leaf binder, top and bottom cover sections, a back section connecting the top and bottom cover sections, a series of sheets between said sections having edge pockets therein and a plurality of alining openings therethrough, screw-expansible posts hingedly connected at each end to the top and bottom cover sections and engageable in said edge pockets, binding posts hingedly secured to the bottom cover section and extending upwardly therefrom into openings in the sheets, a separate locking bar arranged to be applied over the inserted sheets, said bar comprising a stationary part having binding posts extending downwardly therefrom into other openings in the sheets to cooperate with said upstanding posts to secure the inserted sheets within the cover sections, and a relatively movable part slidable thereon, each of said parts having notches therein adapted to register with the sheet pockets to receive the screw-expansible posts therein. said movable part having fingers arranged to close the bar notches to retain the screwexpansible posts within the sheet pockets.

8. A loose leaf binder as defined by claim 7 having its separate locking bar provided with a latching spring cooperating with the movable part releasably to lock it in a fixed position relatively to the stationary part.

9. In a loose leaf binder, top and bottom cover sections having recesses therein, screwexpansible posts hingedly connected at each end to the top and bottom cover sections for varying the distance between said top and aff' bottom cover sections, a liexible back section having its ends seating in said recesses in the top and bottom sections and arranged for adjustment conformably to the s acing of said sections, binding posts hinged y secured to the bottom cover section to upstand therefrom and extend through openings in sheets inserted between said cover section, a separate locking bar arranged to be applied over said sheets having binding posts adapted to extend downwardly therefrom into other openings in the inserted sheets and cooperating with said upstanding binding posts to secure the inserted sheets within the top and bottom cover sections, and means for releasably securing said bar to said screw-expansible posts.

10. In a loose leaf binder, rigid top and bottom cover sections, a flexible back section secured to and connecting the top and bottom cover sections, and screw-expansible and contractible posts hingedly connected at opposite ends to said top and bottom cover sections and arranged to be operated to move said sections to increase or decrease the spacing therebetween.

11. In a loose leaf binder, rigid top and bottom cover sections. a flexible back section secured to and connecting the top and bottom cover sections, and screw-expansible and contractible posts hingedl;7 connected at opposite ends to said top and bottom cover sections and including a male screw post and a cooperating female screw post having a hinging end swivelled thereon to permit rotation of the female post on the male post to expand or contract the top and bottom cover sections.

FRANK H. CRUMP. 

